Glucagon superfamily peptides exhibiting glucocorticoid receptor activity

Abstract

Provided herein are glucagon superfamily peptides conjugated with GR ligands that are capable of acting at a glucocorticoid receptor. Also provided herein are pharmaceutical compositions and kits of the conjugates of the invention. Further provided herein are methods of treating a disease, e.g., a metabolic disorder, such as diabetes and obesity, comprising administering the conjugates of the invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compound comprising the structure Q-L-Y;
 wherein Q is a glucagon superfamily peptide; 
 Y is a steroid-based GR ligand which activates a glucocorticoid receptor with an EC 50  of 1 μM or less, and has a molecular weight of up to about 1000 daltons; and 
 L is a linking group or a bond, wherein Q-L is attached to position 3 or 17 of the GR ligand. 
 
     
     
       2. The compound of  claim 1 , wherein Q exhibits at least 0.1% of the activity of native GLP-1 at the GLP-1 receptor, at least 0.1% of the activity of native glucagon at the glucagon receptor, or at least 0.1% of the activity of native GIP at the GIP receptor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The compound of  claim 1 , wherein Q has an EC 50  at the GLP-1 receptor within 10-fold of the EC 50  of Y at the glucocorticoid receptor, an EC 50  at the glucagon receptor within 10-fold of the EC 50  of Y at the glucocorticoid receptor, or an EC 50  at the GIP receptor within 10-fold of the EC 50  of Y at the glucocorticoid receptor, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The compound of  claim 1 , wherein Y is a compound of Formula C: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 2 , R 3 , R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10  are each independently moieties that permit or promote agonist or antagonist activity upon the binding of the compound of Formula C to a nuclear hormone receptor or glucocorticoid receptor; and each dash represents an optional double bond. 
     
     
       5. The compound of  claim 4 , wherein Y is cortisol or a derivative thereof. 
     
     
       6. The compound of  claim 5 , wherein the cortisol or derivative thereof is selected from the group consisting of cortisol, cortisone acetate, beclometasone, prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, betamethasone, trimcinolone, and dexamethasone. 
     
     
       7. The compound of  claim 1 , wherein L is stable in vivo, hydrolyzable in vivo, or metastable in vivo. 
     
     
       8. The compound of  claim 7 , wherein L comprises an ether moiety, an amide moiety, an ester moiety, an acid-labile moiety, a reduction-labile moiety, an enzyme-labile moiety, a hydrazone moiety, a disulfide moiety, or a cathepsin-cleavable moiety. 
     
     
       9. The compound of  claim 6 , wherein L-Y comprises the structure (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         L is linked to an amino- or thiol-containing side chain of an amino acid of Q, corresponding to position 10, 20, 24, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, or 43 of a sequence comprising native glucagon; 
         L is a bond, 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         x is C 1 -C 10  alkylene (e.g., C 1 -C 6  alkylene), C 1 -C 10  alkenylene, or C 1 -C 10  alkynylene; or (II): 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         L is linked to a thiol-containing side chain of an amino acid of Q corresponding to position 10, 20, 24, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, or 43 of a sequence comprising native glucagon, and 
         y is C 1 -C 10  alkylene (e.g., C 1-6 ), C 1 -C 10  alkenylene, or C 1 -C 10  alkynylene. 
       
     
     
       10. The compound of  claim 9 , wherein
 x is C 1 -C 6  alkylene; 
 the side chain of the amino acid of Q is 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and, 
         z is C 1 -C 6  alkylene. 
       
     
     
       11. The compound of  claim 10 , wherein the compound comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       12. The compound of  claim 11 , wherein the compound comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       13. The compound of  claim 9 , wherein the compound comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       14. The compound of  claim 6 , wherein Q comprises
 (I) an amino acid sequence at least 50% identical to native glucagon that retains the alpha-helix conformation of the amino acids corresponding to amino acids 12-29 of native glucagon (SEQ ID NO: 1601); 
 (II) an amino acid sequence at least 50% identical to native GLP-1 that retains the alpha-helix conformation of the amino acids corresponding to amino acids 12-29 of native GLP-1 (SEQ ID NO: 1603); or 
 (III) the amino acid sequence:
 X 1 -X 2 -Gln-Gly-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-Tyr-Ser-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Asp-Ser-Arg-Arg-Ala-Gln-Asp-Phe-Val-Gln-Trp-Leu-Met-Z (SEQ ID NO: 839) with 1 to 3 amino acid modifications thereto, 
 (a) wherein X 1  and/or X 2  is a non-native amino acid (relative to SEQ ID NO: 1601) that reduces susceptibility of the glucagon peptide to cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), 
 (b) wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of —COOH, -Asn-COOH, Asn-Thr-COOH, and W-COOH, wherein W is 1 to 2 amino acids or GPSSGAPPPS (SEQ ID NO: 810), 
 (c) wherein Q comprises a modification selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) a lactam bridge between the side chains of amino acids at positions i and i+4, wherein i is 12, 16, 20 or 24, and 
 (ii) one, two, three, or all of the amino acids at positions 16, 20, 21, and 24 of the glucagon peptide is substituted with an α,α-disubstituted amino acid; wherein Q exhibits glucagon agonist activity. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The compound of  claim 14 , wherein Q comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1601 and comprises:
 (a) at least one amino acid modification selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) substitution of Thr at position 29 with a charged amino acid; 
 (ii) substitution of Thr at position 29 with a charged amino acid selected from the group consisting of Lys, Arg, His, Asp, Glu, cysteic acid, and homocysteic acid; 
 (iii) substitution at position 29 with Asp, Glu, or Lys; 
 (iv) substitution at position 29 with Glu; 
 (v) insertion after position 29 of 1 to 3 charged amino acids; 
 (vi) insertion after position 29 of Glu or Lys; 
 (vii) insertion after position 29 of Gly-Lys, or Lys-Lys; 
 (viii) substitution of Gln at position 3 with an amino acid comprising a side chain of Structure I, II, or III: 
 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein R 1  is C 0-3  alkyl or C 0-3 heteroalkyl; R 2  is NHR 4  or C 1-3  alkyl; R 3  is C 1-3  alkyl; R 4  is H or C 1-3  alkyl; X is NH, O, or S; and Y is NHR 4 , SR 3 , or OR 3 ; and 
           (ix) a combination thereof; 
         
         (b) substitution of Ser at position 16 with Thr, Glu, or Aib; and at least one amino acid modification selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) substitution of His at position 1 with a non-native amino acid that reduces susceptibility of the glucagon peptide to cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), 
 (ii) substitution of Ser at position 2 with a non-native amino acid that reduces susceptibility of the glucagon peptide to cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV), 
 (iii) substitution of Thr at position 7 with Ile, Abu, or Val; 
 (iv) substitution of Gln at position 20 with Ser, Thr, Ala, Aib, Arg, or Lys; 
 (v) substitution of Met at position 27 with Leu or Nle; 
 (vi) deletion of amino acids at positions 28-29; 
 (vii) deletion of the amino acid at positions 29; 
 (viii) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPS (SEQ ID NO: 810) to the C-terminus; and 
 (ix) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPSX (SEP ID NO: 1450) to the C-terminus, wherein X is any amino acid; and 
 (x) a combination thereof; 
 
         wherein Q exhibits glucagon agonist activity. 
       
     
     
       16. The compound of  claim 14 , wherein
 (I) Q comprises a glucagon related peptide of SEQ ID NO: 1601, with the following modifications:
 (a) an amino acid modification at position 1 that confers GIP agonist activity, 
 (b) a modification selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) a lactam bridge between the side chains of amino acids at positions i and i+4 or between the side chains of amino acids at positions j and j+3, wherein i is 12, 13, 16, 17, 20 or 24, and wherein j is 17, and 
 (ii) one, two, three, or all of the amino acids at positions 16, 20, 21, and 24 of the analog is substituted with an α,α-disubstituted amino acid, 
 
 (c) 1-10 further amino acid modifications; 
 wherein Q exhibits activity at the GIP receptor; 
 
 (II) Q comprises the amino acid sequence:
 X 1 -X 2 -Gln-Gly-Thr-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-X 3 -Ser-X4-Tyr-Leu-X 5 -X 6 -X 7 -X 8 -Ala-X 9 -X 10 -Phe-X 11 -X 12 -Trp-Leu-X 13 -X 14 -X 15  (SEQ ID NO: 55), or an analog thereof, wherein said analog differs from SEQ ID NO: 55 by 1 to 3 amino acid modifications, selected from positions 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, and 25, wherein: 
 (a) X 1  is His, D-His, (Des-amino)His, hydroxyl-His, acetyl-His, homo-His, or alpha, alpha-dimethyl imidazole acetic acid (DMIA), N-methyl His, alpha-methyl His, or imidazole acetic acid; 
 (b) X 2  is Ser, D-Ser, Ala, D-Ala, Val, Gly, N-methyl Ser, aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) or N-methyl Ala; 
 (c) X 3 , X 4 , X 5 , X 10 , X 11 , and X 14  are, individually, any amino acid; 
 (d) X 6  is Ser, Glu, Gln, homoglutamic acid or homocysteic acid; 
 (e) X 7  is Arg, Gln, Lys, Cys, Orn, homocysteine or acetyl phenylalanine; 
 (f) X 8  is Arg, Ala, Lys, Cys, Orn, homocysteine or acetyl phenyalanine; 
 (g) X 9  is Gln, Lys, Arg, Orn or Citrulline; 
 (h) X 12  is Ala, Gln, Glu, Lys, Cys, Orn, homocysteine or acetyl phenyalanine; 
 (i) X 13  is Met, Leu or Nle; 
 (j) X 15  is Thr, Gly, Lys, Cys, Orn, homocycsteine or acetyl phenyalanine; and 
 comprises one of the following modifications: 
 (a) deletion of amino acids at positions 28-29; 
 (b) deletion of the amino acid at positions 29; 
 (c) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPS (SEQ ID NO: 810) to the C-terminus; and 
 (d) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPSX (SEP ID NO: 1450) to the C-terminus, wherein X is any amino acid; and 
 (e) a combination thereof; or 
 
 (III) Q comprises an amino acid sequence that differs from SEQ ID NO: 1601 by no more than ten amino acid modifications, comprising:
 (a) one or more amino acid substitutions with Aib at positions 16, 20, 21, and/or 24, and 
 (b) an amino acid modification at position 1 and/or 2 that provides reduced susceptibility to cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, and 
 comprising one or more of the following modifications: 
 (a) deletion of amino acids at positions 28 and 29, 
 (b) deletion of the amino acid at position 29, 
 (c) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPS (SEQ ID NO: 810) to the C-terminus, 
 (d) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPSX (SEP ID NO: 1450) to the C-terminus, wherein X is any amino acid, 
 (e) substitution of the C-terminal carboxyl group with an amide or carboxylic ester, and 
 wherein Q exhibits GLP-1 agonist activity and glucagon agonist activity. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The compound of  claim 16 , wherein the 1-10 further amino acid modifications in (I) are selected from the group consisting of:
 (i) substitution of serine at position 2 with D-Ser, Ala, D-Ala, Gly, N-methyl-Ser, Aib, Val, or ε-amino-N-butyric acid; 
 (ii) substitution of serine at position 16 with Glu, Gln, homoglutamic acid, homocysteic acid, Thr, Gly, or Aib; 
 (iii) substitution of glutamine at position 20 with Ser, Thr, Ala, Lys, Citrulline, Arg, Orn, or Aib; 
 (iv) substitution of methionine at position 27 with Leu; 
 (v) substitution of argnine at position 28 with Ala; 
 (vi) substitution of threonine at position 29 with Gly; 
 (vii) a conservative substitution at any of positions 2, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27, 28, and 29; 
 (viii) addition of 1-21 amino acids to the C-terminus 
 (ix) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPS (SEQ ID NO: 810) to the C-terminus, 
 (x) addition of the amino acid sequence GPSSGAPPPSX (SEQ ID NO: 1450) to the C-terminus, wherein X is any amino acid, 
 (xi) substitution of the C-terminal carboxyl group with an amide or carboxylic ester, and 
 (xii) a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       18. The compound of  claim 6 , wherein L-Y is covalently conjugated to the N-terminus, C-terminus, or an amino acid side chain of Q. 
     
     
       19. The compound of  claim 6 , wherein L-Y is conjugated to an amino acid side chain of Q that corresponds to position 10, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, or 43 of native glucagon (SEQ ID NO: 1601). 
     
     
       20. A prodrug of the compound of  claim 6  comprising the structure A-B, wherein
 A is an amino acid or a hydroxy acid; 
 B is an N-alkylated amino acid linked to Q through an amide bond between a carboxyl moiety of B and an amine of Q; 
 A, B, or the amino acid of Q to which A-B is linked is a non-coded amino acid, further wherein the chemical cleavage half-life (t 1/2 ) of A-B from Q is at least about 1 hour to about 1 week in PBS under physiological conditions. 
 
     
     
       21. The compound of  claim 20 , wherein A-B comprises the structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         (a) R 1 , R 2 , R 4  and R 8  are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C18 alkyl, C2-C18 alkenyl, (C1-C18 alkyl)OH, (C1-C18 alkyl)SH, (C2-C3 alkyl)SCH 3 , (C1-C4 alkyl)CONH 2 , (C1-C4 alkyl)COOH, (C1-C4 alkyl)NH 2 , (C1-C4 alkyl)NHC(NH 2   + )NH 2 , (C0-C4 alkyl)(C3-C6 cycloalkyl), (C0-C4 alkyl)(C2-C5 heterocyclic), (C0-C4 alkyl)(C6-C10 aryl)R 7 , (C1-C4 alkyl)(C3-C9 heteroaryl), and C1-C12 alkyl(W1)C1-C12 alkyl, wherein W1 is a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N, S and O, or
 (ii) R 1  and R 2  together with the atoms to which they are attached form a C3-C12 cycloalkyl or aryl; or 
 (iii) R 4  and R 8  together with the atoms to which they are attached form a C3-C6 cycloalkyl; 
 
         (b) R 3  is selected from the group consisting of C1-C18 alkyl, (C1-C18 alkyl)OH, (C1-C18 alkyl)NH 2 , (C1-C18 alkyl)SH, (C0-C4 alkyl)(C3-C6)cycloalkyl, (C0-C4 alkyl)(C2-C5 heterocyclic), (C0-C4 alkyl)(C6-C10 aryl)R 7 , and (C1-C4 alkyl)(C3-C9 heteroaryl) or R 4  and R 3  together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 4, 5 or 6 member heterocyclic ring; 
         (c) R 5  is NHR 6  or OH; 
         (d) R 6  is H, C1-C8 alkyl or R 6  and R 2  together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 4, 5 or 6 member heterocyclic ring; and 
         (e) R 7  is selected from the group consisting of H and OH. 
       
     
     
       22. The compound of  claim 6 , further comprising an amino acid side chain on Q covalently attached to an acyl group or an alkyl group via an alkyl amine, amide, ether, ester, thioether, or thioester linkage, which acyl group or alkyl group is non-native to a naturally occurring amino acid. 
     
     
       23. The compound of  claim 22 , wherein the amino acid to which the acyl or alkyl group is attached is at a position corresponding to position 10, 20, 24, 30, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 32, or 43 of a sequence comprising native glucagon, or the C-terminal amino acid. 
     
     
       24. The compound of  claim 23 , wherein the acyl group or the alkyl group is attached to the side chain of the amino acid through a spacer. 
     
     
       25. The compound of  claim 6 , wherein Q is covalently attached to one or more heterologous moieties. 
     
     
       26. The compound of  claim 6  wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-564, 566-570, 573-575, 577, 579-580, 585-612, 616, 618-632, 634-642, 647, 657-692, 694-695, 715-718, 722, 724-725, 729, 731-760, 801-878, 883-919, 1001-1275, 1301-1371, 1401-1518, and 1601-1650. 
     
     
       27. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound of  claim 6  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       28. A method for treating a disease or medical condition in a patient, wherein the disease or medical condition is selected from the group consisting of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, liver steatosis, and a neurodegenerative disease, comprising administering to the patient the pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27  in an amount effective to treat the disease or medical condition.